The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, alongside Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday paid a high-profile visit to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, where they commissioned the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Dream Centre and donated 50 buses and 30 tricycles to support transportation within the university community.
The landmark event, held on the OAU campus, attracted an array of traditional rulers and political leaders, including the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye; the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole; Osun APC governorship candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji; and wives of several state governors.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Media and Public Affairs at the Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare, the Dream Centre is a state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hub established through a collaboration between the Ooni of Ife and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The facility is designed to promote digital learning, artificial intelligence, storytelling and leadership development among young Nigerians.
Speaking during the inauguration, Senator Oluremi Tinubu said the initiative was inspired by her desire to serve as a positive role model for young people, particularly girls, noting that credible role models have become increasingly scarce in contemporary society.
She encouraged young girls to dream positively and believe in their God-given abilities, recounting how her childhood aspiration to become a teacher eventually came to fruition. The First Lady explained that the Dream Centre would feature a storytelling room where her life experiences and lessons would be shared to inspire future generations.
“This centre is not for girls alone; it is also for boys. It is a place of dreams, learning and inspiration for everyone,” she said.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi, described the centre as a unique convergence of technology and history, aimed at preserving knowledge and equipping young people with digital tools to navigate an evolving world.
The Ooni of Ife, in his address, described the commissioning of the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Dream Centre as a historic investment in the future of Nigerian youths and a strong symbol of purposeful leadership. He noted that the centre was conceived as a legacy project designed to outlive the present generation while continuously inspiring young Nigerians to embrace innovation, integrity and service.
According to the monarch, the Dream Centre represents more than a physical structure, embodying values of discipline, resilience, vision and commitment to humanity — qualities he said the First Lady has consistently demonstrated in public life.
He further noted that Senator Tinubu’s frequent visits to OAU underscored her genuine commitment to education and youth development, adding that the centre would serve as a hub for digital creativity, leadership training and storytelling, while grounding students in African identity and cultural values.
The Ooni also urged students to maximise the opportunities provided by the facility and the newly donated vehicles, stressing that such support comes with responsibility.
On the donation of the 50 buses and 30 tricycles, the Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Prof. Simeon Bamire, described the gesture as unprecedented, noting that it would significantly improve mobility for students, staff and the wider university community.
The President of the OAU Students’ Union, Oluwatodimu David, also expressed appreciation, describing the First Lady as a mother figure to the university community and commending the intervention as a long-awaited solution to transportation challenges on campus.
